Media & Public Relations

The Kiplinger 100: Best Values in Public Colleges: Binghamton University ranked in top 5

2010-01-04

BINGHAMTON, NY – Binghamton University, State University of New York, is once again ranked in the nation’s top ten, according to Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine’s new list of 100 Best Values in Public Colleges.

For the second year in a row, Binghamton is ranked No. 1 for out-of-state students, making it the most affordable university in the nation for non-New York students. Binghamton also moved up two spots to come in fifth for in-state students making it the top buy for New Yorkers. The annual public school rankings appear in Kiplinger's February 2010 issue-on newsstands Tuesday, January 5, and online.

Binghamton University President Lois B. DeFleur said: “Binghamton works very hard to be an exceptional university and these rankings are a great indication that we continue to be successful in offering our students an excellent education at a reasonable price.”

Selected from a pool of over 500 public four-year colleges and universities, the Kiplinger’s rankingscombine a first-class education with outstanding economic value. Measurements on academic quality account for about two-thirds of a campus’ score and include factors such as SAT or ACT scores, admission, retention and graduation rates, and student-faculty ratios. Schools are also ranked on total expenses as well as average costs after aid and average debt.

According to Kiplinger’s, private colleges have recently averaged almost $36,000 a year - a sharp contrast to the public schools on the top 100 list, in which 39 charge the same or less than the average annual in-state sticker price of roughly $15,000. Plus, the deals aren't restricted to in-state students. Binghamton University, which takes the top spot in value for out-of-state students, non-New Yorkers pay $26,075 a year, only one-third more than in-state students.

Other public universities on Kiplinger’s top ten best values list include the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Florida, the University of Virginia, and the College of William and Mary.

Binghamton University has appeared regularly in the top ten on Kiplinger’s Personal Finance best values in public colleges rankings and consistently features among the elite top 50 public national universities in publications such as the U.S. News & World Report, the Fiske Guide to Collegesand the Princeton Review.

Visit Kiplinger's slideshow highlighting the 2009-10 top ten values in public colleges.